Ten on Tuesday

1. What is a food that you never thought you would try, but then tried and liked?
Sushi.  I tried as a kid and thought it was disgusting.  But I finally gave in as an adult (awhile back) and tried it again.  I loved it but I also shied away from the more exotic things like the eel but now I try it all and like it all!!

2. Do you subscribe to any foodie publications? If so, which ones? 
I get Martha Stewart Living and Every Day Food.  I like Living for the crafts and the pictures in general.  But I find the recipes a bit too complicated and usually not much I am stoked to try.  Now Every Day Food I LOVE!!  I have loved everything I have ever tried out of it and for the most part it's good recipes that aren't complicated.

3. What ingredient do you find yourself reaching for the most when you cook?
Salt or fresh garlic.  It's what I grab when what I'm cooking needs just a little something.  It usually does the trick. 

4. Are there any foods that you hated as a child, but then learned to like as an adult?
Ha ha see question one.  But I also used to not like onions but now I love them and would put them about anything.

5. What do you like to eat that others may consider weird?
One of my favorite comfort food things is to have hot chocolate with buttered toast. But I take it a step further and dip the toast into the hot chocolate.  James thinks it's nuts but I happen to like it a lot.

6. What is the weirdest ingredient you’ve ever cooked with?
I don't think I have an answer for this one.  Nothing stands out at me as being a really weird ingredient.  Vinegar in a cake is about all I can think of.

7. Do you have any major food allergies?
No not major.  I have a weird food allergy to Terra Chips.  We still aren't sure what does it but my aunt thinks it may be the taro chips in it.  She says some people have bad reactions to under cooked taro.  But who knows and I am not willing to try it again to find out (that was my first trip to the ER).

8. Is there an ingredient that you would like to cook with, but are intimidated to try?
Nope I am always willing to at least try it once!

9. Do you bake?
Yes!  I think I like baking better than cooking.

10. If you could go on any “foodie” show to compete, which one would it be, and why?
 I am not good enough to go on any food competition show first off but if I had to choose one it would be Hell's Kitchen, but only because I have a thing for Gordon Ramsay.

Saying Thanks

I have someone I need to say thank you to.  I have already said thank in an email but I thought I would  go a little further and say a bigger more public thank you.  So as most of you already know I have an Etsy store (oh just have a little look here).  I am trying really hard to get it more successful.  It's going well but there is always room for more business.  Anyway with the Etsy Stores they give you room for a banner and this is where you typically have a custom graphic with your store name on it.  Well if you don't have a custom graphic they provide a cute few generic ones where you just plug in your shop name and Etsy address.  Well this is what I had because I am not a graphic designer, or have enough money to hire one or have the slightest idea how to go about designing one on a computer.  So I was happy with my generic Etsy made banner and didn't think much about it.  Until one day this wonderful person came along and made me one for free and out of the blue!!!  It's a fellow Etsy store owner who happened upon my shop.  Beth over at theme fragrance made this for me.

 

Is that not awesome!?!?!?! Not only did she just do it out of sheer generosity but it's also PERFECT!  So I wanted to give her a little love.  So go check out her shop here.  

That is one of the many things I LOVE about Etsy. You meet so many talented and wonderful people.  I not only sell on Etsy but now it is my go to shopping site if I am looking for a present or really anything lately from kids clothes to body wash to earrings.

Ten on Tuesday

1.  What condiments are always, always in your fridge?
Mustard, ketchup, mayo, soy sauce, Tabasco, malt vinegar, various salad dressings and ranch salad dressing (kids love it for veggies).

2.   How do you like your steak cooked?  Your burgers?
Medium rare for both.  But I know burgers need to be cooked with no pink for safety reasons but in an ideal world I like my burgers a little pink in the middle.

3.  What’s your favorite use for fresh tomatoes?
A tomato and mozzarella caprese salad.  It's fresh sliced tomatoes, fresh sliced mozzarella drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and topped with fresh basil.

4.  What’s your go-to dinner when you haven’t planned anything in advance and you don’t feel like going out?
Macaroni and cheese or hot dogs.

5.  What’s your favorite snack food lately?
Almonds.

6.  What’s your favorite weekend breakfast to make at home?
Pancakes.  I love to make pancakes on a Saturday or Sunday morning.  My favorite recipe is once my mom got from one of her friends and it's more like a crepe than pancake but I love them.

7.  What’s your favorite thing to grill?  How do you do it?
Steak kebebs!  I love a good steak kebab with red onions, green peppers, and tomatoes.  I just stick all the stuff on the kebabs and my husband grills it!

8.  What’s your favorite wine for under $10? If you’re not a wine person, what brand of beer is your favorite?
I like wine OK.  It's not my favorite and I only like whites.  Beer is my prefered drink and I love Blue Moon, Shock Top or Bud Light Lime.

9.  Give us your most delicious cocktail recipe.
Last May I went to Bermuda (check out the blog on it here) on cruise with my friends and I discovered the Dark & Stormy.  The Dark & Stormy is Bermuda's official drink and it's sooooooo good.  Anyway I take a big glass fill it with ice pour in about two shots of Goslings (a dark Bermuda rum) Rum and then fill the rest of the glass with ginger beer.  Stir it a bit and that's it!

10.  How do you like your eggs?
Always over easy!  I love a good fried egg over easy on toast.  My all time favorite egg dish though is Eggs Benedict.
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Confessions of the Day 20

The other day I bribed my daughter not once but TWICE in one day with candy.  I had to bribe her to leave a party so she got a lollipop to get her into the car.  Then I had to run errands and I rather unwisely decided not to put her in a shopping cart in Michael's (I was literally running in for 2 things & I knew exactly where they were) so again I bribed her to listen and behave with another lollipop (although this one was a tiny one at least). 

I was eating M&M's (stolen from the kids candy bag no less) because I needed some chocolate desperately (PMS big time).  Marley caught me eating something and when she asked for some of what I was eating I lied and told her it was my vitamins so she couldn't have any.


I really wish I had my pre-kids brain back.  I used to remember everything and was so on top of things before I had kids.  I know forget things like Noa's baseball practices (one of the first of the season too) and birthdays.  Before I had kids I always, ALWAYS got birthday cards to my family out on time.  Not so much now.  In fact my grandfather's birthday was last week and I still have his card sitting on my kitchen counter needing to be filled out and mailed.

So yeah I am totally in the running for mother of the year.....

Ten on Tuesday

1. What is your cleaning style like?
It's pretty much leave it if it's not disgusting or clean when I get them whim (rare) or clean when I have company coming.  I'm just not a big fan of cleaning nor am I a neat freak.

2. What is your favorite thing to add to an outfit to take it from casual to classy?
Add cute flats and nice jewelry.

3. Do you like stormy weather?
Yes! I like thunderstorms and rain when I don't have to go anywhere.

4. What is your favorite cold treat on a hot day?
Ice cream, ice cold beer, or a gin and tonic with lots of ice.

5. What is your favorite warm treat on a cold day?
Fresh warm chocolate chip cookies out of the oven or chili.

6. Who is your favorite animated character?
Woody from Toy Story!

7. What do you keep your jewelry in?
I have a few jewelry boxes but the pieces I wear the most I keep in a anti tarnish travel jewelery pouch on my dresser.

8. Do any of the rooms in your house have a theme?
Not really.  The kids rooms kinda do in general terms.  Noa's is cowboys (cowboy quilt my mom made him and cowboy sheets and decals from Target) and Marley's is flowers (quilt my mom made her and decals from Target and the flower mobile I made her).

9. Do you watch any interior design TV shows – if so, what is your favorite?
I used to watch them all the time ... particularly Trading Spaces and Dear Genevieve but I rarely watch them now because I cut back on TV that James doesn't watch with me.

10. When was the last time you did something risk-taking?
Everyday when I drive here! Seriously people here are terrible (we literally have the highest accident & insurance rates in the state).  I chalk it up to all the retirees from up north, students and tourists.  I have been hit 3 times (NONE my fault) in the last 5 years.

Ten on Tuesday

1. How did your parents decide on your name?
I know two of the names in the running for me were Phoebe or Heather.  But they ended up with Katherine .... which I love.  Anyway my nick name is Katie and they chose that first from a Joni Mitchell song (I don't know which one and I kinda wish I did).  But I guess my mom liked the idea of a more formal name and then using the nick name Katie.  So Katherine it was.

2. Do your initials (First, Middle, Last) spell out anything fun/funny?
My initials my whole life have been KAP.  Yes my maiden name started with a P and so does my married name.

3. Did you take your middle name from childhood or did you take your maiden name as your middle name? (If unmarried, what do you plan to do?)
I kept my middle name because it's a family tradition and I knew I would give my daughter the same middle name (and I did)!  Besides I thought I would use my maiden name as my daughter's first name  but as it turns it doesn't work well with my husbands last name ... oh well.

4. Are you or will you name your children thematically (ie. same first letter, all of same origin…)
No I didn't do that and never planned to.  Although as a coincidence we have J K M and N now all I need is a 3rd child and use and L name and we then have J K L M N!!  Just kidding!

5. Did you decide on baby names as a little girl? Did you stick to them or change your mind?
Sort of.  Like I said above I always wanted to name my little girl my maiden name (Page).  But it just didn't sound good with my husbands last name.  But I did name her Marley Anne Page.  So I was obnoxious and gave her two middle names. I know one will get dropped one day but it will forever be on her birth certificate and that is what I wanted.

6. Does your family have any names that have been passed down through generations?
Yes, middles names for both girls and boys.  The girl middles name is Anne and the boy middle name is John.  James is also a family name on BOTH sides but there are enough James' to go around already so that's why Noa is Noa and not James.

7. Do you look at the meaning of the name or just the name itself?
I look at the meaning but if I don't like the meaning it doesn't have any weight.  If I loved the name I would still use it regardless of the meaning.

8. Do you name pets with human names (Sally, Henry) or with pet names (Fluffy, Mr. Bo Bo)?
Totally pet names.  I think it's a lot more fun to name pets with pet names than with human names.  I've had cats named Wizard, Cotton ball (yes it was all white), Nike (he had white feet so it looked like he had on shoes), Einstein (that cat was stupid so it was a play on the name), Circe (former owner named her),  and Rio (she was a flood victim cat ... so river in Spanish).  And my dog is named Frodo ... yes we are Lord of the Ring fans.

9. Are there any names that you have an affinity or dislike for based on a childhood experience/someone you once knew?
Yes. My son is named Noa for two reasons.  The first one is my cousin.  My cousin's name is Kanoa (he is Hawaiian ... hence the Hawaiian name) and I love the that name especially when combined with the family middle name John.  Plus I love my cousin.  But I knew I could not saddle my very white Haole (Hawaiian for while person) child with a traditional Hawaiian name.  So when I noticed the end of Kanoa is Noa (also the Hawaiian spelling for Noah) I knew I had my name.  And the second reason is because I knew a little boy named Noah who was so sweet.  My friend Jennie (see my other posts about her here) used to be a nanny and Noah was one of her nanny kids.  Plus when I named Noa,  Noah was not popular ... but just a few years after I named him that, it got very popular grrrrr.

Oh and the Ark jokes really are not funny people!  My son gets so tired of hearing about building an Ark when it rains.

10. What are some of your favorite names? Why?
Well obviously Noa & Marley.  But I've always also liked Page & Piper for girls.  For boys I have always liked Luke.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What type of cell phone do you have and how would you rate it?
It's a Samsung Intensity.  I am not thrilled with it.  I refused to get a smart phone until Verizon got the iPhone (which they now have) because I am an Applephile.  Anyway when I got this phone iPhones were still only at AT&T and I didn't want a Droid but I wanted a phone with a keyboard so that I could text easier.  I would rate this phone a 2 out of 5. It's not that user friendly and the N button started malfunctioning about 2 weeks after I got it.

2. What has been your most serious injury?
I've broken a toe and while it's painful and annoying it's not terrible.  I guess I would have to say the time I hyper-extended my knee.  I was around 12 years old and playing basketball.  During the game I stepped on another girls foot and we both moved at the same time and my knee when back into itself.  It hurt really badly.  Badly enough that my mom took me to the doctor.  I still have issues with that knee to this day.

3. What is one movie you hate and why?
Piranha (the one in 3D that came out last fall).  I actually saw it in the theater and cringed my way through it.  But then I saw it again a few weeks ago when James rented it.  I just could not sit through it again and decided I hated it.  There is just way too much unnecessary gore for my taste.  I don't like gore to begin with and this movie is WAY over the top with it.

4. How many email addresses do you have?
I have 4.  My personal one I've had for years, a spam one, a gmail one just because James said I should have one and one for my Katiemade Crafts Etsy business.

5. What website do you waste the most time on?
Facebook! I somehow got sucked into Frontierville and I play it way too much.

6. Which Mexican restaurant makes the best salsa?
A local place called Flaming Amy's Burrito Barn.  They have a whole salsa bar with lots of different kinds to try like mango, pineapple, and several others but my personal fave is their plain old fresh tomato salsa.  They use lots of cilantro which I love.

7. What is your dream car?
Right now it would be a fully loaded minivan.  I mean leather seats, navigation, DVD player, sliding doors, automatic trunk open and all that stuff.  Once my kids are grown and gone I would love to have a black convertible VW Bug.  I love the new Bugs! They are so cute and get good gas mileage plus they are actually roomy inside for the driver and passenger.

8. If you could spend up to $100 with no strings or restrictions or guilt, what would you buy?
I am assuming this is for yourself vs. what you need for the house or kids.  I would get a mani & pedi and then an hour long massage and go out to lunch.

9. What is your favorite board game?
I am not good with picking just one.  I like Sequence, Trivial Pursuit, and Apples to Apples.

10. How often do you change your hairstyle?
Pretty much never.  I love my mom but when I was a child I always had short hair because it was easier to maintain for my mom (which I totally understand).  But I always, always wanted long hair like all my friends and I was never allowed.  So as soon as I could take care of my own hair (around 11 or so) I started to grow my hair out.  I would say my hair has been long 95% of the time since was I 11. I will occasionally cut it short and I think it's cute but I always let it grow back out. I like having options like having it down or being able to braid it or put in in a ponytail.  We just had family pictures done this past weekend while my brother and his family was in town and I didn't realize how long my hair was until I saw the pictures.  Here is one that really shows how long it is.

Ten on Tuesday

1. What are your thoughts on Valentine’s Day. Do you love it? Hate it?
I like it. I like to get flowers and it's one of the only times I get them.  Oh and I don't care if it's $75 roses in fact I would rather it wasn't.  I'm just happy with a bunch pretty flowers, some conversation hearts and a card.

2. What is your favorite romantic comedy?
As usual I don't have just one.  But at the top of my list is Brigdet Jones' Diary, Say Anything, and French Kiss.

3. Meg Ryan & John Mellencamp: what’s your first reaction?
As long as they are happy it's all good.  I happen to love John  Mellencamp and Meg Ryan so I wish them all the best!

4. All time favorite poem or quote? 
Again I am not going to follow directions.  I am going to give you my favorite quote and poem.
My favorite quote is;
"If they give you ruled paper, write the other way." by Juan Ramon Jimenez 
It was my senior quote and to this day I still love it and try to adhere to it.  I like to be different and question things.
And my favorite poem is;

Homework! Oh, Homework! by Jack Prelutsky

============

	Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink! I wish I could wash you away in the sink. If only a bomb would explode you to bits. Homework! Oh, homework! You're giving me fits.
	I'd rather take baths with a man-eating shark, or wrestle a lion alone in the dark, eat spinach and liver, pet ten porcupines, than tackle the homework my teacher assigns.
	Homework! Oh, homework! You're last on my list. I simply can't see why you even exist. If you just disappeared it would tickle me pink. Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink!

I love Jack Prelutsky!  In fact I like him better than Shel Silverstein (I know start the hate mail now).  But I choose this poem to memorize and recite in front of my class in the 6th grade and to this day I can still recite the first 4 lines or so.

5. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve gone without sleep? (like consecutive hours).
I went about 48 hours once when I flew back to the US from Europe and I didn't sleep on the plane and then had to ride on a bus from Atlanta to SC then I drove myself from SC back home to NC.  I was 16 at the time and was so into talking and having fun that I didn't sleep during the flight or bus ride.  I remeber being so tired and trying to drive home and now I know how dangerous that was and I just chringe.

6. What color ink do you prefer to use?
Black but I am not really picky as long as it's a good pen and writes well.

7. Share with us a blog that you recently found and fell in love with (and link us!)
To be honest I haven't searched out new blogs lately.  I've had a lot going on and I am just barley keeping up with the ones I do read and to be honest I haven't been commenting on them like I used to because I just haven't had the time.

8. If you could be on a reality TV show which one would you choose?
Amazing Race!!!!  I love that show and it makes me want to travel so bad!  Just think of all the fun places I would get to go!  I just need to find a good partner (oh and loose some weight so I could really compete well).  I could not do it with James because we would kill each other!!!

9. Mountains or Beach?
I love the mountains and they are close to my heart because I am from Colorado but I happen to live at the beach now and I love it!

10. With the Oscars around the corner, what’s your pick for best picture?
I've only seen 4 of the nominees but I would have to say Toy Story 3 because it made me laugh and cry.  And I just loved it!

Life would be eaiser without a 3 year old .... but no fun!

My mom and step dad agreed to take my kids this last Sunday so that James and I could finally (we had a leak and had some drywall replaced over 3 years ago)  repaint our family room.  I just knew there was NO way we could get it done with our kids in the house.  Noa really not so much he can entertain himself at 7 and knows to stay out of stuff.  But Marley is whole other story.  Point blank she's a terror.  She gets into whatever you don't want her to with attitude.  Noa was somewhat the same way but she is 10x worse with attitude.  Anyway as soon as my mom dropped the kids back off Sunday night she said something about not being able to get anything done with Miss Marley in the house.  NO KIDDING!  Anyway James and I moved all our furniture to the middle of the room Saturday night and bright and early Sunday we started filling nail holes, cleaning moldings and painting.  Not only did we repaint the patched section of wall but the whole room and then we cleaned everything and ended up rearranging the room.  My cousin asked for pictures so I am obliging her and getting in an overdue blog post.  We ended up choosing a lighter, brighter gray color (it was a sort of purple gray before).  I have so much color already going on with my art, curtains, and furniture that I figured a neutral would still be the best way to go.  So here are some pictures of the newly painted and rearranged family room.  We still don't have any of our art or pictures back up on the walls because we have to rearrange them to fit the new furniture arrangement.  I will try to get some more pictures after all the stuff is up on the walls.  But for now just admire the lovely new gray painted walls with no scuff marks!!

 View looking down the stairs into the family room (Marley is sitting on the couch)

 On the stairs looking the right where the kids toys & computer are

On a side note the bookcase in this picture is half of what it was before we started our repaint.  It was a full 6 foot bookcase but after we cleared it and tried to move it the bottom half just fell apart.  I love Target but this bookcase was from there and it totally fell apart after 3 years.  And that is pathetic because I still have a bookcase from when I was 12 from IKEA that is perfect.  So now we are on the lookout for a new full bookcase because what you don't see is our dining room table that is covered in kids games that were on the bookcase that now no longer fit.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Any vacations you are looking forward to this summer?
My step sister is getting married in Chicago in May and I am looking forward to being there.  Plus it will be nice to see the city in the summer for once (I usually end up going for Christmas so I always see it in the winter).

2. What is your favorite article of summer clothing (shoes are included)?
Flip flops!!!!! 

3. What is your favorite summer drink (alcoholic or non)?
A Margarita on the rocks with salt.

4. Do you tan or burn?
I burn after only 15 minutes in the sun then  the best part is I peel and I am just as white as I was before the burn!

5. Any goals you are working toward this summer?
Getting some much needed yard maintenance done.

6. What is your favorite summertime food?
Fresh fruits like blueberries, watermelon, and strawberries and fresh corn.

7. What song most says “summer” to you?

Summertime by Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff.

I love that song and it's just a great, fun summer song.


8. Any home improvement goals planned for this summer?
Well we have to repaint our family room and we have paint.  I just have to pawn my kids off on someone for a day to get it done so it could take us until the summer at this rate.

9. What is one thing you hate to see at the beach?
Trash all over the place.  I can't stand it when people don't put their trash in the trash cans.  Besides I live here all year round and I know the impacts trash has on the sea life. 

10. Did you ever go to a summer camp?
Every year until I got old enough to stay home.  But I only went to sleep away camp once.  My brother and I just went to day camps in our town because my mom had to work and she was a single mother.